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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · root · object · field · lie · lash · safe · bowl

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. field — farmland
  3. lie — to recline
  4. object — to protest
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. field — a subject
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. field — for sport
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. object — an aim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. object — a thing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com